Hello, everyone! It has been quite a few months since I posted anything (especially anything bookish related) however, I've been a busy bee lately. Mainly because I finally finished college! I graduated on May 12, 2018, and attained my Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in History with a minor in Technical & Professional Communications.
Although this is an exciting accomplishment, my emotions about this is mixed. What many new graduates - or those in the road of graduating - may not realize is that once you're done with college, you must face the adult world. Yes, it is time to officially "adult." Now we must immerse ourselves into the market and workforce, find a job, shop for professional attire, pay our bills (especially our student loans), and become a working individual who must tackle all adult things. It's scary. Really, really scary - but it's also inevitable. This is a part of life that we must all face and accept, even if we don't want to.
It's funny, reflecting back on my younger years, I always yearned to be a grown woman; I wanted to be a twenty-something year-old with a life because everything adults did appealed to me. From the mind of a child, being adult meant staying up late and not having a bed time; having the free-will to go places without being supervised; having a career and earning money; owning a home and getting a pet of your choice; or being able to wear heels and dress in pretty outfits that make you look and seem mature and wise. Now as a twenty-two year-old college graduate, I look back at my young self and think how much of a naive fool I was. Adulting is nothing that I imagined it to be. It's in fact worse. Being adult in the 21st century means getting into a ton of debt from student loans; having to work two to three jobs to pay off those loans; dealing with the social pressures of society; having to always prove to people you're worthy, especially to employers; to live at home until you're financially able to be independent; facing the sheer reality that adulting is nothing that you hoped it would be. The list can go on and on.
Happy and proud of myself that I overcame many obstacles to attain my bachelor's, I'm still continuing to face many more. Now my next step in life is to find a job - a job that will contribute to the future and growth of my career. It's hard. Employers nowadays are seeking people with experience. Although I've gotten a lot of experience from internships to volunteer work, it's hard to prove to employers that I am adept and capable to perform any job. There's a terrible stigma towards liberal arts degrees; in fact, I plan on creating a separate post that relays my experiences and the common stereotypes of liberal arts degrees. I think it's important for many people to realize that these common stereotypes of liberal arts students are nothing close to the truth - we have certain skill sets that many other majors tend to neglect in teaching students, especially when it comes to written communication.
But, in addition to attaining my bachelor's, I am also going to be getting my Master of Science (M.S.) in Mass Media Arts & Journalism starting in August. My ultimate goal is to go to school online as I'm working full-time. Personally, I don't want to put my career on hold for my education again. I want to find a job, work, earn money, and take care of my responsbilities. I shall see, when August comes around and if I can get a full-time position by then, if this can be achievable - but I know deep down that I have the discipline to balance both at the same time.
One chapter closed and another one begins. College has really made me grow and become a better person. I've learned to manage on my own, and I think that in itself is highly important for any individual to learn. I've also learned the value of friendship, which was a lesson that came with its own separate challenges. But for now, I can at least enjoy a bit of my summer (as I am actively applying for jobs and praying to find one before July) until I must start the grind all over again.
x, Kayla
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